


Removal

by KalinaEverdeen



Category: Carry On - Rainbow Rowell
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Angst, I'm better at writing than I am at tags, M/M, Pining, Simon is pretty oblivious, Tattoos, i still don't know how to tag, maybe? - Freeform, probably, read and find out, tags are hard tbh, who knows - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-19
Updated: 2017-02-26
Packaged: 2018-09-25 15:23:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,257
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9826295
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KalinaEverdeen/pseuds/KalinaEverdeen
Summary: A soulmate au because I don't care if they're overdone





	1. Chapter 1

BAZ-

I'm just rolling down my sleeves when he bursts in through the door and, despite the sun being set ow in the sky, brings with him a wave of sunshine that emanates from his glowing skin. My hand freezes, hovering over my just concealed wrist for just a moment before a shake myself out of it. 

_Focus, he's just a customer. A stupidly attractive customer but still a customer._

"Hello, can I help you?" I ask, buttoning up the cuff of my sleeve

He blinks a few times, almost as if he doesn't remember why he's here, before speaking, "Uh, yeah. You, um, do tattoo cover-ups, right?"

"That's correct. Lemme guess, you got a bad tattoo that needs fixing?"

"Something like that..." He says, glancing around the room, "It's actually my... My, um..."

"Use your words." I say, the corner of my mouth curling up.

He glowers at me, "It's my soulmate tattoo. I don't want it." His glare dares me to say something snarky.

Instead, I do my job, "What sort of cover-up do you want? Just a black band around it?"

"I want a dragon." He says, his blue eyes like steel, "I want a dragon with the tail curling around my wrist to cover the name."

I raise an eyebrow, "Crowley, what did this person do to you to warrant a whole dragon?"

"Nothing." He says, clearly agitated, "I haven't met them. And I don't want to. I'm sick of not being in control of my life."

I nod and beckon him over to the table so that he can roughly sketch a design. He's certainly something.

Once he's done, I tell him that I'll work on the design and that he should come back tomorrow. 

When he leaves, I take a moment to _breath_.

\---

I'm a little more prepared for the sight of him when he breezes in the next day.

"Right, if you want to look at the designs." I say without delay, leading him over to the table where I've laid out a few different ideas.

"Hmm... This one." He says, picking one up off the table.

"If you're prepared, I can get started right away?" I suggest and he nods, "Just take a seat in that chair while I get some stuff ready."

I gather up various inks and needles, laying them out in preparation while he removes his jacket.

Once done, I roll up my sleeves and pull on some gloves.

"Okay, first I'm going to draw the dragon on so try to stay still. It may tickle a bit."

I take his arm, seizing it up. My eyes can't help but fall on the black ink that weaves the whole way around his wrist. 

And I can't help but notice how familiar the hand writing is. 

I can't help but see the looping cursive letters that mar his skin.

I can't help but see the name he's here to hide.

My name.

"Hey, um, do you mind letting go of my arm a bit? You're crushing it."

I release him like he's on fire, taking a step back and just _staring_ at the ink on his wrist.

"Are you okay?" He says and I tear my eyes to his face. _His_ face.

"What's your name?" I ask. But I already know. He must be. How many Tyrannus Basilton Grimm-Pitch's are there?

"What's yours?" He says back, his eyes narrowed in suspicion.

I shake my head, "You don't want to know." I take off my gloves and roll down my sleeves, "I can't do this job. Come back tomorrow and Penelope can do it for you."

"Wait, why?" He calls but I ignore him and just head into the back room and wait for him to leave. He eventually does.

\---

"Woah, woah, woah! Basil, why did you turn down a client?" Penelope asks as she tugs her frizzy blue hair into a bun.

I huff, sitting on the table, "I didn't turn him down. I just referred him to you."

"Yes but _why_?" She speaks with narrowed eyes that make me squirm.

"I know him, okay?" I half shrug, already knowing she won't buy it. Damn girl can see through me like glass.

"You've given people you know tattoos before, what's the big deal about this guy?"

I sigh, pinch the bridge of my nose, and close my eyes, "It's him."

"Him? Basil, that's not exactly helpful, who's hi... Oh..." She ends with a soft exclamation, her annoyance ebbing away, "Are you too scared to tell him?"

"Yeah. But not for the reasons you think. You know how I said he wanted a cover-up tattoo?" Her face scrunches in confusion before suddenly clearing. And then dropping.

"Oh, Baz. That's..." She pauses, delicately looking for the words, "You should say something."

I shake my head, "He doesn't want to know Penny."

We fall into silence, neither of us knowing where to go from here. Until she breaks it.

"I think you should do the tattoo for him."

I shake my head before she's even finished the sentence, "No. I can't."

"Well neither can I! I'm not going to be the person who covers your soulmate's tattoo."

"I won't be able to do it." I protest. But I'm protesting to Penelope.

I know I'm screwed.

\---

I spend the whole day in a sort of trance, unable to focus on anything but the sunshine boy who would be arriving at any moment.

And no matter how much I try to prepare myself, he still blinds me when he enters. His blue eyes lock straight onto me and his face breaks out into a nervous grin. My mind breaks into a panic.

"Oh, hey! I didn't think I'd see you again. I was, um... I was going to, uh... Give something to that Penelope person you mentioned to give to you but I guess since your right here I can just... I can give it to you..." He pulls out a crumpled piece of paper, his face glowing red, "I, um... Here!"

He thrusts out the hand with the paper in it and I gingerly take scrap, unfolding it carefully.

_Hey, you're really cute (that's probably a weird way to start a note). Do you wanna get coffee sometime? P.s.- I'm sorry for whatever made you freak out, I hope it wasn't me._

It's followed by a number.

A flush crawls up my neck as I just stare at the paper.

"It's- It's totally fine if you don't want to, or whatever! And I get if you're waiting for you soulmate to come along but I think we should get a choice in who we date instead of having to wait a lifetime for that one person, you know? I mean, I'm sure my soulmates a decent bloke but don't you agree it's pretty scary to pin all you hopes on one person? Plus my guy has like fifty names and sounds like he owns twenty estates and I don't get how I would ever be able to get along with someone that rich. Like, surely he'd be really posh and hate me, right?"

I stare at him through his whole rant and I continue to stare as he trails off.

"I'm sorry, I haven't really been able to let that sort of thing out to anyone." He looks at his feet, scuffing his trainers.

"Yes." I say, my mouth seeming to lag behind everything else that's happening. It obviously confuses him so I manage to clarify, "I- I would love to get coffee."

His face breaks back out into a smile and I feel my knees go weak.

_Crowley, what is this boy doing to me?_

"Okay! I'll see you tomorrow? Is 12 a good time?" I nod, "I'll meet you here then?" I nod again and he leaves, seemingly having forgotten that he came here for a tattoo. 

I think that he's remembered when he pops his head back in the door, "Hey, what's your name?"

"Baz." I say, swallowing hard.

He grins, obviously not making the connection, "I'm Simon. Simon Snow."

"I know." But the door's already fallen shut behind him.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some people wanted more  
> Here is more

BAZ-

"You're going on a date!" Penny's eyes go wide, as does her grin, "See, I told you that telling him your name was a good idea."

I sit back a little bit on the chair in the 'office' and break eye contact, "Yeah, well... That's the thing..."

"You didn't tell him." I shrug slightly, not bringing my gaze back to hers, "Basilton!"

"I know! I know, it's bad."

"Basil, he's going to find out! It's not something you can just hide." She scolds and I cringe away.

"Look, I was going to tell him. I _am_ going to tell him." I say emphatically.

She shakes her head at me and I can't tell if she's disappointed or not, "Just do it sooner rather than later. When is this date anyway?"

"He's meeting me here at 12. I think we're just going to go get coffee."

"Basil, that's in an hour! You're meant to be working today!" She exclaims.

I raise an eyebrow, "Penelope, I have Fridays off."

Her brow furrows behind her pointed glasses, "But you come in every Friday!"

"Well someone's gotta be here for you to rant about your new ideas to."

She looks at me, speechless for a few moments.

"Crowley, why does no-one ever appreciate the sacrifices I make for them?"

I'm joking but she still throws her arms around me in a crushing hug that I gently return, "Thank you, Baz. And good luck with your date. I'm sure things will work out."

I wish I had her confidence.

\---

I find myself pacing the shop as 12 draws near, my disposition jittery and charged with electric nerves. It's probably due to this that I practically jump out of my skin when the door opens and he walks in.

He's obviously made en effort- hair slightly less jumbled than before, shirt almost crinkle free- but he looks like a mess. It's adorable.

"Baz!" He grins at me, glowing from every fibre of his being.

"Simon." I nod to him, my heart hammering against my ribs so hard that I worry they might shatter.

_Tell him! Tell him now, before you fall too far!_

He opens his mouth to speak when he's cut off, "Basil! Can you come help me a second!"

I groan, "I'm sorry, that's Penelope. I'll be right-"

"Basil?" He asks, blinking at me. Dread coils in my stomach.

"Yeah. Baz, short for Basil." I pray to any god listening that he doesn't make the connection.

"Basilton! Have you gone deaf?" I curse under my breath and hurry to the office before she blurts my whole name. I don't stop to look at Simon.

As soon as I reach the back room I grab her arm and pull her away from the door, "Are you _insane?_ "

"What?" She asks, alarmed at my intensity, "I just needed help-"

"I don't care what you needed help with!" I lower my voice, "Simon is out there and, thanks to you, he pretty much knows my name now!"

Having the decency to look guilty, she bites at her lip, "I'm really sorry Basil. I didn't know he was here yet."

I shake my head, internally screaming in panic, "What the fuck am I going to do?" I hiss.

She turns me around and pushes me lightly towards the door, "Go tell him. And if I've fucked everything up for you, I promise I'll do everything I can to make it up to you. Now go." She stands on tip toes (and I mean tip toes) and kisses me on the cheek.

I take in a deep breath before walking back out of the office.

I half think he won't still be there. I half _wish_ he won't still be there but I find him stood in the same spot. He smiles at me but it's clouded.

Dread wrenches and pulls at me, "Hey, sorry about that." I speak softly.

"Basilton, huh?" He says, eyes searching.

"Yeah. Baz. Short for Basil. Short for Basilton." I can't stop the sadness from tinging my voice.

_It's over._

"That's... That's an odd name." He talks slowly, taking his time to carefully pick his words.

I breath in. Breath out. Close my eyes for a brief second, "Not as odd as my first name."

I half think that I didn't even say anything, just let out another breath. But then-

"Yeah. Tyrannus is pretty odd."

There's a beat of silence. And another. And then another. I stare at the ground the whole time. 

"I'm sorry." I whisper. I don't even know if he can hear me but I can't bring my voice any louder, "I was going to tell you."

I hear him take a step and I screw my eyes shut, my head still turned to the floor. He takes a few more steps and I wait to hear the door open and shut.

For a second I hope that it doesn't.

When it does, it hurts all the more.

\---

Penny lets me cry on her shoulder for the next hour, even shutting up the shop so that she can stay with me.

I hate everything about this. I hate Simon.

I don't.

Penny tells me that I don't need love to be happy. I try to believe her but every time I think of the name scrawled on my wrist I lose it all over again.

I'm pathetic.

No wonder Simon doesn't want me.

\---

SIMON-

I race home.

_What the hell, what the hell, what the hell?_

As soon as I slam the door of my tiny apartment behind me I sink to the floor, tugging at the curls I tried so hard to flatten this morning.

Baz- no _Tyrannus_ (or maybe Basil? Basil _ton_? That's what Penelope called him)- is my soulmate.

Baz (I'm calling him Baz, it's what he told me to call him (I don't know why I care what he wants me to call him)), the person who I almost got to cover up my soulmate tattoo is the person who the name belongs to.

I screw my eyes shut but all I see is him stood there, defeated, dejected, rejected (because that's what I did, isn't it? I rejected him).

I open my eyes but he's still there, whispering that he's sorry in my mind.

I scream, needing it to stop, needing to drown it out.

God, what have I done? 

I think back.

Back on the decision I made to control my own life. I let my soulmate be dammed and to find my own partner. To make my own choice.

I think back on meeting Baz, on the way my heart stuttered when I saw him.

I think back on making the decision to ask him on a date. The decision to. The one I made before knowing who Baz was.

_I chose him._

The thought hits me like a bolt.

I didn't find out that my name was on his wrist concede to fate.

I just saw a cute boy and asked him on a date.

It just happened to be that he was my soulmate.

I liked him before I knew that, not because of it.

I scramble to my feet and run out the door without another thought. I've done enough thinking.

\---

BAZ-

Penny's just brought over a mug of something hot and sweet when there's a frantic banging on the door that rattles the whole frame. Penny puts a hand briefly on my shoulder, "I'll be right back." and she leaves the office to go ward of what's probably just a customer.

She comes back into the room quicker than I expected. The banging hasn't stopped.

"I think it's him." She says and my heart drops.

I wipe my eyes and smooth down my hair, "Are you sure?"

"Bronze curls, golden skin, freckles and moles everywhere?"

I swallow and sink slightly further into the seat.

"Want me to get rid of him?" She asks and I nod before a second of weakness can make me change my mind.

She walks back out and this time I hear her open the door and speak with a hushed voice. I can hear Simon talking too and I curl up in the chair.

A couple of minutes later, Penny returns, wringing her hands together, "Baz, he wants to talk to you."

I shake my head, "I can't. He can't- I don't want him to see me like this. And he doesn't want me anyway. He made that much clear."

"Basil, I don't want to force you to but he seemed pretty desperate." And I can picture it so clearly. Simon stood outside the door with his stupid blue puppy eyes.

And I'm so weak.

"Fine." I stand up, pushing my hair out of my face, and stride toward the office door. I can see Penny watching me with worry in the corner of my eye. I ignore her and step into the main room.

I can see him through the glass door and, when he sees me, his gaze drops to the ground. I walk to the door and open it. It's dark outside, the sun behind dark grey clouds.

"Snow." I say and his head lifts to look at me. I try not to fall apart.

"You called me Simon before." He whispers.

I shake my head, "What do you want? Did you forget something?" _Like my heart which I was saving for you._ I think but then I tell myself to stop being so fucking extra.

He opens his mouth but no words come out.

"Cat got your tongue?" I sneer. Because if I don't put up a mask he'll see just how close I am to losing it all over again.

He growls at me. Literally growls. And I want him to do it again.

"I- I just."

"Spit it out Snow." I say.

"Shut up." He snarls, and I think I might kiss him, just to see what it's like. Just to get a taste.

"Make me." I whisper.

And then he kisses me.

For a moment I'm frozen, shocked, and unable to move as his arms loop around my neck.

And then I react, winding a hand into his hair and bringing the other to his neck. I forget everything that just happened and just lose myself in him. I fall apart.

He pushes me back so that we're actually in the shop rather than in the doorway and, when the door clatters shut, it seems to break him out of something as he pulls away, looking at me with eyes blown wide. He doesn't move his arms, just lets out slightly labours breaths against my skin.

I swallow, struggling to regain my composure, struggling to find words. Just struggling.

"I-" He swallows too and my eyes flit to his adams apple, "I just came to ask if you still wanted to go grab coffee?"

"I thought you didn't want a soulmate." I mumble, my own words making me remember how I came to meet him in the first place. I start to withdraw my hands but he just grabs them in his own.

"I wanted to choose. And I choose you." He looks up at me with his dammed blue puppy eyes, "If you'll still have me?"

"Idiot." I mutter, but I kiss him again.

Because who could say no to the sun?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I honestly didn't plan to write more but I'm weak for attention so I finished it off  
> Hopefully you liked it?  
> I will probably write more SnowBaz in the future because I will never be over Carry On  
> Thanks ever so much for reading

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt- You remove your tattoo because you hate the idea of someone dictating who you can be with for the rest of your life and the person who’s removing it happens to be your soulmate and they’re torn between letting you know and just not bringing it up because you kind of went there because you didn’t want a soulmate and vice versa.
> 
> Found here- http://silentpeaches.tumblr.com/post/125291322610/soulmate-au-story-ideas
> 
> Sometimes I get an insatiable urge to write so this is the result of that.  
> Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed.


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